Each of the past few years, Arkansas State University head coach Chris James would analyze and dissect every team at the NCAA National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship from the sidelines.

"Sitting and watching, you try to figure out, 'How do you get there?'" said James, who built the Indians from scratch four years ago. "You look at other teams to see how they're motivating themselves and examining themselves."

Now James has a different view as his Indians is one of the eight teams competing at the 2008 NCAA National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship, which began Thursday at Thunder Alley.

Instead of studying elite teams like Nebraska and Central Missouri, James has his team bowling on the same lanes this time. He credits the model set by the NCAA's top teams for a good portion of Indians' success since the program formed.

"Not saying you have do it their way, but you have to build ideas and instill ideas into the team you are recruiting. That's what those teams do," said James, who has led the Indians to a winning record each season. "You have to find the players who are capable and want to play at the NCAA level."

Arkansas State, ranked No. 8 by the National Tenpin Coaches Association, barely missed out on earning one of the eight at-large berths to the championship each of the last two years. After posting a 66-28 match play record and five top-three finishes in nine events, the long-awaited invitation couldn't be denied this season.

Seniors Katie Chattin (pictured left) and Samantha Burke, who have been with the team since day 1, are closing their college career with the reward of competing for a NCAA title. However, James believes they can take pride in knowing they helped start something special at Arkansas State.

"Getting here always is our goal, but I've told them more importantly they're laying the groundwork for the future," said James, who has been associated with Arkansas State since 1989. "If you're going to reap any benefit from what you're putting in, you're going to have to sacrifice something."

Helping push the Indians to the next level this season was sophomore Marissa Martinek (pictured right), a transfer from Morehead State who led the team with a 197.8 average. Another newcomer, freshman Samantha Morrison, was third with a 189.2 average.

"We have some great girls who've come in, and we do feel like we had a big part in that," said Chattin, who ranked second on the Indians this season with a 192.4 average. "Coach did most of the work, but we kind of helped him along."

Arkansas State proved it belonged Thursday by posting a qualifying score of 7,510, good for the No. 3 seed entering Friday's match play.

"We're the new kid on the block and have a bit of a target on our back," said Chattin, a two-time NTCA Academic All-American. "No one wants us to be the one to beat them, so we have to work that much harder to do it."

Top-ranked Nebraska grabbed the top seed heading into the best-of-seven, double-elimination match play, overtaking defending champion Vanderbilt with two games of qualifying to spare.

The Cornhuskers posted 7,722 during Thursday's qualifying portion, which consisted of four five-player team games in the morning followed by 20 Baker games in the afternoon - broken up into four five-game sets.

Vanderbilt, which led the majority of qualifying, finished with 7,680 to secure the No. 2 seed.

Nebraska sophomore Cassandra Leuthold led all individuals in four team games with 867 (216.75 avg.) and was followed by teammate Lindsay Baker with 837.

Friday's match play competition begins at 10:30 a.m. EDT and concludes with the semifinals, beginning at 6:20 p.m. If one or two second semifinals are needed due to the double-elimination format, they will take place at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

The championship match is scheduled for 8 p.m. EDT Saturday, which will be aired live on ESPNU for the second straight year. The championship match also will be replayed at 7 p.m. EDT Monday on ESPN2.